YEC Members Receive Industry Accolades, Release Products and Books, Announce New Partnerships and More

From writing books to winning awards to releasing new products, YEC members have had a busy start to the spring. In their respective industries, members have been nominated for prestigious accolades, raised significant funding and formed new partnerships, just to name a few of their accomplishments. Below, we celebrate a dozen members’ recent work and achievements.

TheMuse.com Co-Founder Kathryn Minshew Publishes New Book

Kathryn Minshew. Photo courtesy of individual member.

On April 18, Kathryn Minshewreleased her new book, “The New Rules of Work: The Modern Playbook for Navigating Your Career.” The book – written by Kathryn and Alex Cavoulacos, the co-founders of TheMuse.com– is described as the “definitive playbook to the ever-changing workplace.” TheMuse.com is an online career resource that has more than 50 million annual visitors and raised more than $16 million in 2016.

Jake Kassan of MVMT Named to the Inc. “30 Under 30” List

Jake Kassan. Photo courtesy of individual member.

In April, Inc. released its 2017 list of “30 Under 30” honorees, a list that features innovators “tackling the world’s most intractable problems.” The list of “coolest young entrepreneurs” includes YEC member Jake Kassan of MVMT. Jake, 25, is the co-founder of MVMT, a company that makes stylish watches and sells them through a direct to consumer model. Founded in 2013 by Jake and Kramer LaPlante, MVMT’s revenue in 2016 was $60 million. The Los Angeles-based company’s target audience is millenial consumers. “The duo recently released sunglasses, and hope to keep building their brand by focusing on their young audience and women’s accessories,” an Inc. writer noted.

(Appboy Co-Founder Bill Magnuson is also included on the list; YEC member Mark Ghermezian is the co-founder and executive chairman at Appboy.)

Kelly Ehlers’ Agency, Ideas That Evoke, Selected as Agency of Record for AC Hotel Madison Downtown

Kelly Ehlers. Photo courtesy of individual member.

Ideas That Evoke was recently selected by North Central Group as the agency of record for AC Hotel Madison Downtown in Madison, Wisconson, where the agency is also located.

“As an agency, we’re rooted in an entrepreneurial approach to business. That, combined with our track record of working with lifestyle and luxury brands, we understand NCG and Marriott’s goals for the AC Hotel Madison Downtown, and look forward to bringing that to life in our hometown,” said Kelly Ehlers, founder and president of Ideas That Evoke. Founded in 2009, Ideas That Evoke is a social media, digital and PR agency. Its clients include Procter and Gamble, Tide Dry Cleaners, Elizabeth Arden, Elizabeth Arden Red Door Spa and Coty Beauty.

According to a Wisconsin State Journalarticle, the AC Hotel Madison Downtown by Marriott was scheduled to open in late April.

Scanalytics Inc. Partners with BrightLogic Inc.

Matt McCoy. Photo courtesy of individual member.

In March, Scanalytics Inc. announced a partnership with BrightLogic Inc. “to help businesses create experiential environments and optimize their engagement with attendees at live events,” the company said in a statement. Scanalytics, an Internet of Things company co-founded by Matt McCoy, is integrating its Advanced Data Platform with BrightLogic’s ActiveFloor™ System. This partnership will allow BrightLogic, an LED floor company, to be able to optimize customer engagement at live events. The Powered By platform from Scanalytics can

Bonac Innovation Corp. Releases Grand7, a Luxury Phone

Peter Bonac. Photo courtesy of individual member.

In April, Bonac Innovation Corp. released the Grand7, a luxury phone created by the Vancouver-based brand Mobiado. Founded by designer Peter Bonac, Mobiado’s Grand7 is “a luxury mobile phone, redefining mobile aesthetics by presenting a unique vision of what a phone can become.” Described as mobile art, the Grand7 has a copper body, “is CNC machined and precision engraved with a distinctive decorative image,” is “glass-bead blasted and plated with a precious metal,” and a “single large sapphire crystal plate is precision inset into the center of the body,” according to the company. The various designs are available in limited quantities.

Heather Holmes of Genivity Selected for WiSTEM Program

Heather Holmes. Photo courtesy of individual member.

Heather Holmes, the CEO and founder of Genivity, is one of 14 women selected for WiSTEM, the 1871 program designed to accelerate and cultivate opportunities for women in technology. Based in Chicago, Genivity is a software platform that helps advisors engage clients and retain next generation heirs through life stage, health risk and care cost planning. 1871, a center for technology and entrepreneurship in Chicago, started the 12-week, curriculum-based WiSTEM program to connect women to capital, community and technology resources.

“Since the program launched in Fall 2015, 38 companies have graduated from 1871’s WiSTEM program. In total, the businesses have created nearly 200 jobs and raised nearly $10 million in funding,” 1871 announced in a statement. The program that Heather is participating in started March 21.

Influence & Co. CEO John Hall Releases His First Book

John Hall. Photo courtesy of individual member.

John Hall, the co-founder and CEO of content marketing agency Influence & Co., released his first book, “Top of Mind: Use Content to Unleash Your Influence and Engage Those Who Matter to You,” on April 28. Published by McGraw-Hill, “Top of Mind” is about “how consumer needs and expectations have changed and what this shift means for those interested in building a long-lasting, trustworthy, and influential brand.” To learn more, visit the book website.

Luigi Wewege Receives University of Missouri – St. Louis Salute to Business Achievement Award

Luigi Wewege. Photo courtesy of individual member.

Luigi Wewege, CEO of Vivier & Co., was recently awarded a Salute to Small Business Award from his alma mater, the University of Missouri – St. Louis. Vivier & Co. is a boutique financial services firm offering private digital banking solutions to its clients worldwide. Luigi graduated from the University of Missouri – St. Louis with a Bachelor of Science in business administration (with a triple major in finance, international business and management), and holds a Master of Business Administration with a major in international business from the MIB – School of Management.

Luigi also recently released an audio version of his published book, “The Digital Banking Revolution: How Financial Technology Companies Are Rapidly Transforming the Traditional Retail Banking Industry Through Disruptive Innovation.” The book was published in late 2016.

Azitra Inc. Raises $2.9 Million in Series A Funding Round

Travis Whitfill. Photo courtesy of individual member.

On April 5, Azitra Inc., “an R&D-stage company developing a microbiome based platform to deliver innovative, inexpensive, and sustainable treatments for skin disease,” closed a $2.9 million Series A round led by Bios Partners. Travis Whitfill, CSO at Azitra, is also a venture capital partner at Bios Partners and senior analyst at Bios Research. According to a press release, this funding will allow the company to continue testing its platform across a variety of skin conditions.

“The current approach of only addressing a disease’s symptoms alone is ineffective, and the microbiome is a nascent area of groundbreaking science that has enormous potential,” Travis said in a statement. “That’s why we were passionate about launching a commercial organization that harnesses the power of the skin’s own microbiome to develop a new kind of dermatology treatment. Such treatments are potentially safer, more highly targeted, and work better with fewer side effects than what’s currently available for often intractable conditions.”

“My vision for EnrichHER is to be a resource for networking and educating entrepreneurs on everything that is available to support and help them become successful,” Roshawnna said in a statement. “That’s what makes us different. Many of these organizations do well, but operate in silos, sometimes their messages only go so far, limiting their reach, but if we unified all of these diverse businesses, they could truly benefit from each other.”

Science of People Lead Investigator Vanessa Van Edwards Publishes New Book

Vanessa Van Edwards. Photo courtesy of individual member.

On April 25, Vanessa Van Edwards released her latest book, “Captivate: The Science of Succeeding with People” through Penguin Random House. As lead investigator at Science of People, Vanessa studies what makes people tick in the company’s human behavior lab. Her new book – which was included on one Inc. must-read list – Vanessa shares “a wealth of valuable shortcuts, systems and behavior hacks for taking charge of … interactions at work, at home, and in any social situation.”

LoveBug Probiotics Launches LoveBug Labor of Love Probiotic Blend

Ashley Harris

LoveBug Probiotics, a probiotic supplement company led by Founder and CEO Ashley Harris, is releasing LoveBug Labor of Love in May. This product is probiotic blend intended to help both mother and baby, especially as the baby is developing a healthy microbiome. This is the first probiotic blend created for pregnant and nursing moms.

“Developing good health for baby begins in the mother’s womb,” Ashley said in a statement. “I suffered from an extreme imbalance in my gut health … after I was put on broad-spectrum antibiotics as a preventive measure during child-birth. I started experiencing constant migraines and suffered from a weakened immune system. My son, Hudson was very colicky, had digestive issues, and then right around the same time, we both developed eczema. After I started taking probiotics, I immediately noticed a dramatic transformation in our health.”

These are just some of YEC members’ recent exciting achievements. Read about what other members are working on here. Have news of your own to share with the community? Submit your accomplishments to our team.